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Earthquake overview : A 6.4 magnitude earthquake struck the coastal waters of Negros Island, Philippines at 4:47 AM local time. The epicenter of the earthquake is approx. 30 km out of the coast (USGS) and 45 km (Phivolcs). Phivolcs (the Philippines seismological service) has not called a tsunami alarm for this earthquake as also the Magnitude was less than initially measured by USGS.
May we ask Philippine people to share their information with earthquake-report.com (use the I Did Feel It form below).
UPDATE 18/07 – 16:27 UTC : A moderate aftershock occurred at 11:25 PM Philippine time,
M 4.6 2011/07/18 15:25 Depth 41.0 km NEGROS, PHILIPPINES
UPDATE 18/07 – 07:35 UTC :
M 4.9 2011/07/18 00:43 Depth 41.3 km NEGROS, PHILIPPINES
08:43:02 AM at epicenter
Aftershock of the Magnitude 6.2 earthquake from last week.
30 km out of the Sipalay City coast. These shocks are extremely well felt in the area where people have been scared by the 6.2 earthquake and are at highest alert for a major earthquake and a following tsunami. Phivolcs and the Philippine authorities are having a hard job in convincing the people that massive aftershocks (M 7.0 or higher) are very rare in seismology. Preparedness is fantastic, following rumors is not. Please follow the instructions of Phivolcs who are serving the Philippine people with great expertise.
121 km (75 miles) WNW of Dumaguete, Negros, Philippines
Satellite map of the greater epicenter area
UPDATE 15/07 – 11:44 UTC : Felt report from :
Hiboba-An : We experienced a 4.8 magnitude earthquake earlier this morning around 2:49 in the morning. It was really alarming. We had sleepless nights (Light shaking indicated)
UPDATE 14/07 – 19:30 UTC :
Felt report from Negros Occidental : It was a mild shaking, lasted for several seconds only (weak shaking indicated).
Shen reported (location unknown) : last july 11 between 4-530am, we felt the shaking about 3-4 times then again today july15 around 2: 23-2:30am
UPDATE 14/07 – 19:28 UTC : M 5.0 2011/07/14 18:49 Depth 43.2 km NEGROS, PHILIPPINES
July 15, 2011 at 02:49:28 AM at epicenter
Aftershock of the M 6.2 from a couple of days ago. The epicenter is only 10 km Sipalay City.
119 km (73 miles) WNW of Dumaguete, Negros, Philippines
Satellite map of the greater epicenter area
UPDATE 18:18 UTC : 15:30 pm NDRRMC report from regions VI, IX, X and Caraga the following findings were reported :
- Tsunami scare is being experienced in the following communities : Spipalay City, Negros Occidental in region VI which prompted the residents from Brgys 1, 2, 3 and 5, Naukang, Gil Montilla, Canturay, Maricalum and Cayhagan to evacuate at Camp Valdez.
People continued to insist to stay at higher grounds for fear that a possible tsunami may occur although CDRRMC Sipalay City had already announced (like Earthquake-Report.com) that there is NO impending threat of a possible tsunami.
- The local Social Welfare Office and CDRRMC assisted around 7,000 evacuees.
- OCD VI advised the residents to get/listen official and accurate information from CDRRMC to avoid panic and any ontowards accidents
UPDATE 16:56 UTC : Felt report from Hinoba-An
We’ve experienced 2 shakes around 12:17 to 12:42 this morning (July 13, 2011) it was not recorded if how strong is it but the Brgy. Captain Edith Tacdoro of Brgy. Talacagay is now keep on updating and keep on eye to the people around Brgy. Talacagay,..
UPDATE 16:03 UTC : For our readers in Negros and elsewhere in the Philippines :
Aftershocks are very normal after an earthquake of magnitude 6.2.
They normally will decrease in energy little by little.
A tsunami can only be generated after a much stronger shock than the 4:47 earthquake.
Normally you should follow the guidelines of PHIVOLCS, they are wonderful experienced people.
Of course if you consider to auto-evacuate, that is up to you. There is a simple rule you should follow to be safe for tsunamis : When there is e really strong shaking for at least 20 to 30 seconds, RUN TO HIGHER GROUNDS (30 meter above sea level is ABSOLUTELY Safe).
Earthquake-Report.com advises however to follow instructions from Phivolcs. You should trust your experienced earthquake and tsunami experts.
Phivolcs map of the Negros earthquake, July 12 2011
UPDATE 15:27 UTC New Felt Reports :
Sipalay : As i am surfing the net in our comlab here in school at around 9:20pm (in my clock) we can hear the screaching of the glass windows.
Basay, Negros : always felt the shaking until now since 5am in the morning (light shaking indicated)
Dumaguete City : We were waiting for our turn to log out shortly before 5:00PM via the biometric machine when a moderate shaking was felt. We stopped for a while and a co-teacher said we need to go outside the principal’s office and seek refuge in the open, and we did just that. Some of us seek refuge to sit on a nearby bench and trying to feel the shaking while thinking when will the shaking stop. I called my aunt in Nabulao,Sipalay using my cell phone and I was informed the ground there is shaking, too. It was good to know they were in higher grounds still due to many aftershocks since 4:47am. Oh God, protect Your people! (moderate shaking indicated – MMI V)
Febe Daguia Ismil-Unto wrote via our FB account : My aunt, uncle and my sister and her family are in higher grounds, higher than the grounds of Nabulao High School. They are there since this morning and has to sleep there! Oh God please protect Your people!
Basay : i felt the shaking since 5 am in the morning here in Basay, Negros Oriental Philippines…this morning, i think evry ten minutes there’s a shaking. This afternoon, around 5pm was a little bit stronger…until now, shaking is always felt…still no warning from Philvolcs for a tsunami..God bless us
UPDATE 12/07 – 09:35 UTC : Earthquake-Report.com made a short video on this Philippines, Negros, Sipalay City earthquake.
UPDATE 12/07 – 09:30 UTC : A reader reports out of Sipalay City : just now here in San Jose, Sipalay City about 4:54pm another strong shake…it gives me palpitation
Bawayan City : July 12, 2011 5pm a light shaking earthquake is felt in Bayawan City
Dumaguete City : dumaguete feels light shake on the ground..! at 4:58 pm local time
UPDATE 12/07 – 09:26 UTC : 2 new aftershocks measuring 4.6 and 5.4 occurred at respectively 15:57 and 16:56 local time. The depth of the latter was 52 km, which is less dangerous but it will be felt on a greater distance. (Phivolcs has reported for the last one a magnitude of 5.3 @ a depth of 66 km). Max. MMI following them at IV.
UPDATE 12/07 – 07:43 UTC : NDRRMC has not reported any damage or injuries from this very strong earthquake. A lucky escape, but a lesson to always be prepared!
UPDATE 12/07 – 07:33 UTC : Based on the reports of the Philippines NDRRMC from regions VI, IX, X and Caraga the following findings were reported :
- people were scared for a potential tsunami in Sipalay City and Negros Occidental. People living in Brgys 1, 2 and 3 in Sipalay City evacuated to Camp Valdez. People decided to stay there for a while in case a tsunami would occur, although Phivolcs never called a tsunami advisory or warning. (Earthquake-Report.com has a lot of appreciation for both Phivolcs for their great service and for the people who are following their common sense to safety)
UPDATE 12/07 – 07:12 UTC : Felt reports as received by Earthquake-Report.com :
Barangay San Jose, Sipalay City : I am attending our shop right now and keeping myself busy but even though I keep myself busy, I can still see the alcohol bottle in front of me waving…I have felt almost 3 light shocks from 4pm to 4:15pm. Our neighbors did not do their afternoon short nap because they got alive senses of what will come and is coming. This is new to us the Earthquake thing so everyone were alert or so I may say panicking but not that obvious with shouting and the like. Right now its 4:24pm in my watch and so far and shakes no more… or will it be really no more? (Light to moderate shaking indicated IV to V MMI)
Bayawan city : strong shaking indicated MMI VI
Kabankalan city : strong shaking indicated MMI VI
Carcar City : buildings and signs were swaying. Guests in local hotel reported that it lasted about ten seconds and the building shook and swayed back and forth (moderate shaking indicated – V MMI)
Bacolod City : I was asleep and the shaking woke me up (light to moderate shaking indicated) MMI IV-V
Cebu City : In Cebu City my daughter awoke because she was sleeping on the couch which was shaking and saw the computer shaking too… She thought otherwise it was horror, told her maybe there was a quake.. then in the morning we saw it in the news…
UPDATE 12/07 – 00:24 UTC : USGS has published an update of the earlier values. The initial magnitude of 6.4 was changed into 6.2, the depth from 20.1 into 19 km.
UPDATE 23:38 UTC : Initial earthquake damage prediction is always very difficult as the preliminary data can be very different. On top of the differences of Magnitude and depth, comes the location of the epicenter.
Summary of all the published data for the mainshock :
PHIVOLCS (Philippines) : M 6.2 @ a depth of 17 km
USGS (USA) : M 6.2 @ a depth of 19.0 km
EMSC (Europe) : M 6.1 @ a depth of 30 km
GFZ (Germany) : M 6.3 @ a depth of 27 km
UPDATE 23:26 UTC : Local emergency services will start assessments during the morning hours, although seismologists do not expect that the inspection teams will find serious damage.
UPDATE 23:21 UTC : The earthquake was felt as far as Visayas and Mindanao.
UPDATE 23:01 UTC : As you will distillate out of this report, the difference in between Very Dangerous and Moderately Dangerous is sometimes very minimal. In this case a little more distant from the coast and a M 0.2 lower magnitude can indeed make a huge difference.
Tsunami waves map for Negros, Philippines earthquake - courtesy GDACS - Tsunami maps were based on a Magnitude of 6.4
UPDATE 22:45 UTC : The final outcome of this very strong earthquake will be seen at daylight (within a couple of hours)
UPDATE 22:45 UTC : After analyzing the Phivolcs data, the situation seems (luckily) safer than initially expected.
UPDATE 22:43 UTC : Contrary to GDACS who issued a tsunami warning for part of the Negros coast (based on the 6.4 magnitude and initial epicenter location parameters), local PHIVOLCS has not called a tsunami alarm.
UPDATE 22:38 UTC : Contrary to the initial estimates from USGS and GDACS (based on the higher magnitude), Philippines Phivolcs (very experienced seismologists) estimates that this earthquake will NOT be damaging.
UPDATE 22:35 UTC : Reported shaking intensities following Phivolcs :
Intensity V – Sipalay City, Negros Occidental
Intensity IV – Oton, Iloilo; Dumaguete City; Binalbagan and Hinigaran; Sibulan
Intensity III – San Jose, Antique; Dapitan City; Talisay City, Negros Occ.
Intensity II – Cagayan de Oro City; Dipolog City; La Carlotta City, Negros Occ.
Intensity I – La Castellana, Negros Occ.
UPDATE 22:33 UTC : Based on the lower magnitude from Phivolcs, the max. MMI is V (moderate shaking), an enormous difference with the initial 6.4. The reason for the lower MMI is the lesser Magnitude and the greater distance to the coast.
UPDATE 22:28 UTC : 2 strong aftershocks with magnitudes of 5.7 and 5.2 have hit the same area 16 minutes and 18 minutes after the mainshick
UPDATE : Philippines seismological service Phivolcs is reporting a magnitude of 6.2 at a depth of 17 km. The epicenter following Phivolcs is more to the south, approx. 40 km from Bayawan City and Santa Catalina.
UPDATE : There has never been a tsunami threat for other than the local Negros beaches.
UPDATE : As the earthquake occurred in the middle of the night when everybody was asleep, shaking damage and injuries cannot be excluded.
UPDATE : Based on the earthquake data, the following villages and towns will have a strong shaking (MMI VI) : Alim (4,000 people), Asia (24,000 people) and Sipalay (24,000 people)
UPDATE : Most important GDACS wave heights are :
Hinoba-An : 0.4 meter
Inayauan : 0.4 meter
Sipalay : 0.6 meter
UPDATE : GDACS has calculated that the (theoretical) maximum wave height to arrive at the Negros coast would be 0.60 meter at Sipalay
UPDATE : PTWC message as published at 20:56 UTC : THIS EARTHQUAKE IS LOCATED OUTSIDE THE PACIFIC. NOTSUNAMI THREAT EXISTS TO COASTLINES IN THE PACIFIC.
A 6.4 magnitude earthquake struck the coastal waters of Negros Island, Philippines at 4:47 AM local time. The epicenter of the earthquake is approx. 30 km out of the coast.
Most important Earthquake Data:
Magnitude : 6.4 (afterwards recalculated top 6.2)
UTC Time : Monday, July 11, 2011 at 20:47:04 UTC
Local time at epicenter : Tuesday, July 12, 2011 at 04:47:04 AM at epicenter
Depth (Hypocenter) : 20.1 km (afterwards changed into 19 km)
Geo-location(s) :
Approx. 30 km from the coastal villages of Hinoba-An and Sipalay City
126 km (78 miles) WNW of Dumaguete, Negros, Philippines
135 km (83 miles) SSW of Iloilo, Panay, Philippines
Links to important maps
USGS Did You Feel It Map
Google satellite map of the area showing the kind of terrain the earthquake took place
USGS historic earthquakes map
USGS Seismic hazard map
USGS Impact on Population map
USGS Shaking map
GDACS earthquake report
GDACS tsunami report
NOAA tsunami report
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The 0.99 US$ QuakeSOS+ version will support the activities of SOS Earthquakes.
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I did feel it – Ik heb het gevoeld – Το έκανα αισθάνεται – Yo lo siento – 我的确感到了 – 私はそれを感じていました- Ich habe es gefühlt – Bunu hissediyorum yaptı – لم أشعر أنه
